This could be why Nasser won't have sex with Gabi
Despite their relationship looking extremely promising at the start, Married At First Sight's Nasser Sultan and Gabrielle Bartlett are now on the rocks.
The 50-year-old fitness trainer told his 'wife' she was in the 'friend zone' on Sunday's episode, even though they had sex during their romantic honeymoon to Samoa.
Things have been going downhill fast ever since, with Nasser refusing Gabi's advances and leaving her wondering exactly where it has all gone wrong.
But psychologist and relationship expert Breanna Jayne Sada has told Be, the sudden dip in their sex life could be down to his OCD and the way it affects his thinking.
"On the honeymoon he was potentially filled with optimism and excitement," Breanna told us. "But anyone with anxious tendencies will tell you that it doesn't take long for pessimism and negative thinking to set in."
The professional from Lysn Health explained that obsessive compulsive disorder goes hand-in-hand with anxiety and those that suffer with it often 'try to avoid' situations when they feel their safety and security is in threat.
"We know that sex is just as much an emotional action for men as it is for women, despite what some men will have us believe," she said. "So he may be anticipating rejection or failure."
This means Nasser's use of term 'friend zone' could be a way of self-sabotaging as a means of control, and avoiding the risk of feeling unwanted or unloved by mum-of-one Gabi.
These sorts of mental health issues can make relationships tricky, especially when 'under a microscope' as the environment 'would be extremely anxiety provoking' according to Breanna.
"[MAFS] encourages unhelpful thinking, like trying to read the other person’s mind and trying to predict the future, so that isn't normal," she said.
"They also have a looming deadline as to when to make decisions, [and] this would increase stress levels."
However, she does have some advice for 44-year-old Gabi who appears to want to figure things out with her hubby, as she recently chose to 'leave' their relationship to give him an opportunity to fight for her.
"I'd be looking at learning all you can about his possible OCD and its tendencies, and what this means and how it impacts his life and relationships," Breanna suggests. "Directly asking him would be key and finding out what helps him."
But she reiterates that Gabi would need to 'ask herself, can she live with this and support him while looking after herself?'
With the pair seeming to drift even further apart this week during Gabi's home stay, only time will tell if they'll get through this blip.
Got a story tip? Send it to tips@yahoo7.com.au
Want more celebrity, entertainment and lifestyle news? Follow Be on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and Instagram